The demand for fresh water is becoming a critical issue in many nations of the world. Providing pure, fresh water to a burgeoning population of domestic, agricultural and industrial users is becoming increasingly difficult as existing sources of fresh water are stressed to their limits.
Paradoxically, the oceans of the world contain millions of cubic miles of salt water unfit for human consumption. In addition to the oceans, vast amounts of brackish waters and salt brines exist in underground aquifers beneath some of the most parched and barren deserts on earth.
In addition to the high salt content of the seas, many sources of fresh water have been contaminated with heavy metals from industrial waste. Many, once pristine waters, are now too toxic to consume.
Many desalination plants are in operation today producing millions of gallons of potable water from the sea, but the associated high capital and operating costs of these facilities prevent all but the wealthiest nations from using the current technologies. These and other deficiencies exist.